From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishtie somebody down phrasal verbPREVENTto restrict someone’s freedom to do what they want to do She didn’t want to be tied down by a full-time job. to Are you ready to be tied down to a wife and children? → tie→ See Verb table
Examples from the Corpus
tie down• It is therefore necessary to keep a tight cover on its take and to weight or tie the cover down.• You had something that very few other people had and this to a large extent tied you down.• It's tied us down a lot.• He did not want to tie her down, and the suggestion infuriated him.• People do not want standards that tie companies down comprehensively or that rule out the use of judgment.• The tie tumbled down his shirt-front like a little cascade of ink.• A plan of union ties the negotiations down to real facts and real pieces of church life.• Janet helps the nurses, who have to tie the man down to restrain him.tie to• Ken doesn't want to be tied down to any one woman.• Janet helps the nurses, who have to tie the man down to restrain him. 